were here

We have arrived... and the first thing we see as we enter the city limits. . . the sun setting, all pinks and oranges reflected on the ripples of the bay. And our plans for the morning include, home-cooked breakfast! May I never again eat at Subway or Denny's or IHOP, or any of the other restaurants that serve every single interstate exit across this great nation!

Santa Cruz is lovely and we checked out our sublet after dinner. It's a cutie! Two blocks from the water and we have a hot tub. We have it until the end of March so come while you can!!! Our land lady was nice enough to provide us with a bottle of wine to celebrate the beginning of our stay here in Santa Cruz. It's a nice saucy red- don't worry Justin we won't make you drink it.

The day that's missing out of our blog is the action packed day we had yesterday. It's hard to believe that yesterday we woke in the snowy climes of Flagstaff, AZ and began our daytime adventures at a VERY cold, snow dusted Grand Canyon. It is only a very beautiful and overwhelming site that can make one forget that the wind is blowing very hard and it's cold enough to make your hair fall out (in spite of my lovely handmade hat). The Canyon's length and breadth are almost too large to comprehend. On the south rim the casual observer can easily see the other rim of the canyon although it is 50 miles away. Much of the the north side is closed during winter months due to prolific snowfall and treacherous conditions- we could see a lodge though, on the snowy abandoned side (think the Shining y'all). The north rim of the canyon is 1000 feet higher in elevation than the south side which is already 7000 or so.

The canyon is so deep that the temperature at the rim vs. the base of the canyon is about 30 degrees! Talk about elevation change... So on the day we visited, the canyon's bottom was probably a balmy 60 degrees, while the top was quite literally freezing and covered in snow. In the summer that difference is far lass comforting to those interested in hiking down into the canyon as a 90 degree rim means a 120 degree bottom. The bottom of the canyon is also a dry, dry desert onto which very little precipitation falls even during the snowy or rainy winter months.

We ate lunch at one of the turn of the century lodges, built for adventurous victorians touring the natural wonders of the American west (and there are MANY). And while we were eating, the next round of snowclouds rolled in and filled the top of the canyon. No longer having the option to look and linger, we happened upon one of the brochures for the lodge's services. So, on the canyon floor the Colorado river now flows placidly by, peacefully enough to make one shake their head in wonder at its ability, ultimately to have created such an impossible landscape. Next to the quiet Colorado there is a small, permanent campsite with stone cabins and a bigger canteen building built at the same time as the lodge. If you want to book a cabin, a 7 mile hike from the rim, it;s only 100 dollars and you don't even have to bring your own food! The have packed in steak dinners and vegetarian chili (and apparently a kitchen staff) via mule teams. The whole thing is kind of amazing. Although if you would like to have yourself packed in via mule it'll cost you $400 a person. Yikes! But if you're up for the hike, the cabins are only $92. . . next to the Colorado river, at the bottom of a canyon so immense it can been seen from space...

We were so awed that we actually forgot all about owning the FlipVideo recorder and just snapped a lot of photos. . . which will be posted as soon as I get that darn cable from mom in the mail. Sorry I can't show them to you now. Even though we're finally in California, I've been thinking about the canyon all day.

Miss you guys. Much love,

Liz